From Telegrapher to Titan: The Life of William C. Van Horne

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Overview

William C. Van Horne, a true titan of North American business, started his railroad career at the age of 12 working various jobs for the Michigan Central, and crowned it by becoming the president of the Canadian Pacific. He is credited with opening Cuba’s interior by means of railway, greatly expanding Canada’s interests by launching the sea transport division of the Canadian Pacific—with regular luxury liner service between Vancouver and Hong Kong—and completing Canada’s first transcontinental railway. Van Horne...

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From Telegrapher to Titan: The Life of William C. Van Horne

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More About This Book

Overview

William C. Van Horne, a true titan of North American business, started his railroad career at the age of 12 working various jobs for the Michigan Central, and crowned it by becoming the president of the Canadian Pacific. He is credited with opening Cuba’s interior by means of railway, greatly expanding Canada’s interests by launching the sea transport division of the Canadian Pacific—with regular luxury liner service between Vancouver and Hong Kong—and completing Canada’s first transcontinental railway. Van Horne was knighted by Queen Victoria for his contributions to Canadian Unity and, more recently, was named Laureate of the Century by the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. A man of many talents, Van Horne was also Canada's premier art collector and one of its leading financiers. In From Telegrapher to Titan, Valerie Knowles delivers a gripping account of this larger-than-life figure.

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Editorial Reviews

Branchline
"For the most part, Van Horne was a remarkable person and for Canada a real hero that helped pull Canada together and settle the west. Valerie Knowles has done an excellent job in describing the man and telling his story. The book is easy to read and, as in all good history books, includes a broad range of references. It is certainly well worth the read and is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about Van Horne." —Bruce Ballantyne, Branchline, June 2005, reviewing a previous edition or volume

— Bruce Ballantyne

Rail Canadien
"In From Telegrapher to Titan, Valerie Knowles takes us back to an era of frenzied progress, a time of frontier mentality and old money, and shows us a titan amongst men, who rose from being a messenger boy to the Chairman of the Canadian Pacific Railway while becoming one of the foremost art patrons of his time as well as a devoted father and husband. Van Horne’s legacy is felt today—his signature forever etched upon the country in tracks, coast to coast." —Rail Canadien, September-October 2004, reviewing a previous edition or volume
The Michigan Railfan
"While much has been written about the CPR's construction and early years of operation, there has been comparatively little recorded about the man who was such a key figure in its early history.This exhaustive volume by Valerie Knowles fills that void nicely." —The Michigan Railfan, Vol. 72#3, May-June 2011
NMRA Magazine
"In this volume, Valerie Knowles delivers a gripping account of this larger-than-life figure." —NMRA Magazine
From the Publisher

"... her biography will remain a good reference book for all aspects of Van Horne's life and career for a long time to come."

"From Telegrapher to Titan is more than a biography; it is a first-rate work of business history, covering in detail the development of railways in 19th-century North America." -Graeme Voyer, Winnipeg Free Press, May 2, 2004.

Branchline - Bruce Ballantyne

"Valerie Knowles has done an excellent job in describing the man and telling his story. The book is easy to read and, as in all good history books, includes a broad range of references. It is certainly well worth the read and is a must for anyone who wants to learn more about Van Horne."

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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780253222503
  • Publisher: Indiana University Press
  • Publication date: 8/3/2010
  • Series: Railroads Past and Present Series
  • Pages: 504
  • Sales rank: 1,185,389
  • Product dimensions: 5.70 (w) x 8.70 (h) x 1.30 (d)

Meet the Author

Valerie Knowles is author of several books, including Strangers at Our Gates: Canadian Immigration and Immigration Policy, 1540–2006.

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Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Prologue

Chapter One: Growing Up in Frontier Illinois
Chapter Two: Early Career
Chapter Three: Rapid Advancement
Chapter Four: New Challenges and Hobbies
Chapter Five: New Horizons
Chapter Six: Toward the Last Spike
Chapter Seven: Cutting Costs
Chapter Eight: The Final Push
Chapter Nine: All That Grant Was to the U.S.A.
Chapter Ten: Van Horne at the Helm
Chapter Eleven: Art for Art's Sake
Chapter Twelve: Family Matters
Chapter Thirteen: Cuba Beckons
Chapter Fourteen: Building the Cuba Railroad
Chapter Fifteen: Chasing the Money
Chapter Sixteen: Dodging the Grim Reaper

Afterword
Bibliography
Notes
Index

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